Women's Center
Gender Issues
Sex refers to a person's biological status as female or male, while Gender is a socially constructed system of classification that ascribes qualities of masculinity and femininity to people. An aspect of all known cultures, gender is continually being reinterpreted and varies greatly from culture to culture. Words that refer to gender include: woman, man, feminine, masculine, transgender and genderqueer. Transgender is an umbrella term referring to behavior and attitudes that challenge conventional gender roles, responsibilities and relationships. The term genderqueer describes people who purposely blur gender lines, challenge gender norms and often adopt androgynous personas.
Because gender is such a core cultural definer, virtually any subject can benefit from an understanding of the gender dynamics associated with it. There are gender issues related to sexuality, the body, race and class, business and politics, health, developing societies, sports and leisure, law, the media, leadership and many other areas. Gender dynamics are evident in education, in the workplace, in relationships, in virtually every aspect of life.
The Women’s Center is committed to increasing understanding of how gender affects the climate for Miami ’s students, faculty and staff. The Center’s focus is on how gender dynamics impact the experiences of women at Miami .
Major gender issues related to female college students include sexual assault and body image and self-esteem, sometimes linked to eating disordered behavior. Leadership and gender equity are also significant gender issues for academic institutions.
For over 30 years Title IX of The Education Amendments of 1972 has called upon educational institutions to address and ensure gender equity. As stated in “Beyond Title IX: Gender Equity in Schools” (Mid-Atlantic Equity Center, 1993), “Title IX…mandates that schools not deny any student participation in any educational program or activity on the basis of sex. The reality is that while many schools adhere to the legal requirements of Title IX, they do not necessarily grant girls [and women] a full measure of equal educational opportunities. At one level, schools have made much progress in eliminating sex discrimination from their policies, programs, and practices. However, vestiges of sex discrimination, sex bias, and sex stereotyping remain. These vestiges continue to have a powerful and often negative influence on many students” and, in effect, serve as barriers to equal educational participation by girls and women. Major gender equity issues in higher education include:
- Gender bias in student/teacher interactions
- The participation and achievement of females in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)
- Gender bias in standardized tests
- Gender differences in learning styles
- Sexual harassment of students by their peers and teachers
Similar laws mandate that workplaces address and ensure gender equity for their employees. The Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity is responsible for the oversight of and support for the University's compliance with federal and state laws in the areas of equal opportunity, affirmative action, harassment, nondiscrimination, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.